Central Vietnam

All Reviews

November 14th, 2006 at 11:50 am

The lunch set here is good value, as you get three courses for 69,000. The food was good, but unimaginative - I ordered a goat-cheese salad as a starter, and it was the same as the side salad with the main dish. They even forgot to put the goat cheese on, so I sent it back. I also had to send back my main course, as I had ordered a steak and sundried tomato wrap. I got a steak frites. Fearing I'd be charged for a more expensive dish, I sent it back. The waitress blamed it on a miscommunication in the kitchen. When she brought it back to the kitchen, I could hear her bollocking the kitchen staff in Vietnamese. Amusing, but it did nothing for the atmosphere. The same steak came back, wrapped loosely in nem wrappers, wrapped around some sundried tomatoes, and deep-fried to leather consistency.

My husband's duck was fine, though, although his asparagus salad was the same as the goat cheese salad...

The atmosphere was empty and echoing at lunch. Service was a definite miss the day I was there.

November 14th, 2006 at 11:33 am

Stop Cafe is one of my go-to restaurants when I can think of what I want or where I want to go. Their bread is the best in town, in my humble opinion. Their BLT is stellar, and their parma ham pizza has made converts of friends who previously swore by Luna. I like their Hanoian platter, with the caramel pork (no scary chewy bits! Pure meat!) with papaya salad on the side. It's the sort of place that I have five or so dishes that I love equally, and can never decide which one I want to choose. The interior feels like it grew there organically, and the service is warm and low-key.

November 14th, 2006 at 11:24 am

Absolutely the place for a special occasion. The service hits the right note - you feel special, but not hovered-over. The wine list is extensive, but not intimidating. There's a wide range of prices and selections. Their menu is the same - you can try the seasonal menu with wine-pairings, or go for one of their "gourmet" (California style)pizzas.The prices are reasonable for the quality of food on offer. This kind of dining would cost you twice or three times as much in another city. Take advantage of it while you're here!

November 14th, 2006 at 11:14 am

I've also had hard cake - at the Highlands in Vincom towers.Their Vietnamese coffee cheesecake is solid, though. I've had it at two or three locations. It's not NY cheesecake, but it was delicious on its own merits.

I hate how smoky this location is. The cigarette smoke seems to hang in the air.

November 14th, 2006 at 11:10 am

The interior has been restored, and it's quite lovely inside. The lunch buffet has standard Vietnamese dishes, but not changed for tourists' tastes - for example, the Banana Flower salad comes with sliced pigs ears, making it packed with locals at lunch time.

November 13th, 2006 at 12:57 pm

The owner, Moon, is one of the friendliest people behind a bar in town! She's recently started up a full three-course Sunday roast dinner -- soup, three meats with roast veggies and gravy, and apple crumble for dessert -- for $10, which, let's face it, is slightly pricey, but you didn't hear me complaining as I licked my plate clean... comfort food is worth it!

Now, if a bunch of us can only convince her to restart the Thursday Pub Quiz night, things will be golden. Trivia fans out there, back me up...

November 2nd, 2006 at 10:16 am

A comfortable venue with a variety of internal 'settings' courtesy of an excellent layout with each section providing a somewhat different atmosphere. The balcony and patio areas are great for views of the main street and the pubs near Bao Kanh. The beer/drink selection was very good. Have not yet tried the food.Seems the pub may have had a different name. Worth visiting.

October 27th, 2006 at 11:37 am

October 26th, 2006 at 8:55 am

I was homesick one day and stopped by to see what all the fuss is about. Had a great mac and cheese casserole for 5$ worth every penny- it was early and I was alone so the p retentious stuff didn't kick in. But would go back for the mac and cheese.

September 23rd, 2006 at 5:24 pm

I've eaten here several times over the space of 2 years, and until my latest visit I was always delighted with both the food and the service.

I have to say things were rather different this time.

The service was borderline incompetent (although smilingly so), and the food was dreadful.

Perhaps it was our choice of entrees - steak - that caused the problems. Mine came medium rare, as ordered, but the sauce had a burnt taste, and it was so salty I had to order another drink (which took 15 minutes to come).

My wife ordered her steak well done, and it took the kitchen 3 attempts to get anywhere near that. In the end she gave up and ate it as it was on its 3rd return from the kitchen.

I know this place is a training school, but I don't think that excuse goes this far.

I think perhaps it's best to stick with their Vietnamese dishes. In the past I've had good luck with those.

September 17th, 2006 at 11:00 am

I've been going here for the past ten years...and it's been around much longer than that...thirty or forty. It's quite famous, and very busy in the mornings. Very difficult to get a seat. It is delicious, truly Hanoian pho bo. The old lady who runs it can be a surly, old b***h, but she gets away with it because everybody knows she has the best noodles in the neighborhood. Don't take it personally if she asks you to pay before you get a seat. She does that to everybody.

The New Hanoian

The New Hanoian Ltd is registered with Companies House in the United Kingdom. Started in 2006 it remains the premier source for English-language information about living in Hanoi, and other major cities in Vietnam.